Myron Walden was born on October 18, 1972 in Miami, Florida. At the age of 12 his family moved to the Bronx, New York. It was shortly after his arrival in New York that he stumbled on the recordings of Charlie Parker. He knew right then and there that he was to become an alto saxophonist. Although "Bird" was the gateway to his musical career, Myron strongly feels that he has been influenced by "everyone and everything that I have ever heard, seen and experienced." Myron attended LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts and was also involved in programs such as the Jazz Mobile Workshop and Harlem School of the Arts. Under the guidance of Justin DiCioccio, he became an integral part of the LaGuardia Senior Jazz Band and the LaGuardia Jazz Sextet. During this time he was also a part of the All City Jazz Band, the McDonald's Tri-State Jazz Band, and the All State Jazz Ensemble. Myron went on to the Manhattan School of Music where he studied privately with John Purcell while taking group lessons with the great Barry Harris. He also gained his musical knowledge through Yusef Lateef, Charles Davis, J.D. Parran, Peter Yellin, Vincent Herring and Professor Donald Byrd during this period. In 1993, he won the prestigious Charlie Parker Competition and was featured at "Jazz at the Lincoln Center." This inevitable yet prominent feat paved a way for Myron to add to his resume abundant experiences with major talents of jazz music: Nat Adderley, Jon Hendricks, James Spaulding, Jimmy Owens, Jimmy Cobb, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Chambers, Joe Williams, Roy Hargrove, Jon Ore, Cecil Payne, Harry Connick Jr., and Walter Booker. Myron has been performing with his own groups and with others at many notable and esteemed jazz venues such as The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note, Sweet Basil, Jazz Alley, The Regatta Bar, Blues Alley, Iridium, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, The Jazz Bakery, Catalina's, The Jazz Gallery and Smalls. He has traveled the world playing at many major festivals such as The Kansas City Jazz Fest, Porto Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Fest, Mellon Jazz Festival, Jazz a Vienne, Marciac Jazz Festival and the Kuumbwa Jazz Fest. weblinks: www.myronwalden.com